Kerala named 'The Most Welcoming Region' for 4th time

NEW DELHI: Despite the challenges the past two years have wrought upon the travel industry, our love for travel has never waned as travel optimism and hope for recovery remains high. Travel platform Booking.com announces the recipients of its tenth annual Traveller Review Awards, including the 2022 Most Welcoming Places on Earth.

Kerala has topped the list once again as the 'Most Welcoming Region' in India followed by Goa and Puducherry. Palolem, Agonda, Mararikulam, Thekkady and Varkala are the top five 'Most Welcoming Cities' in India. The awards also highlight hotels as the most welcoming accommodation type by Indians followed by homestay, resort, guesthouse and apartments.

2022's Most Welcoming Places on Earth
From iconic architectural wonders to pristine natural beauty, the 2022 Most Welcoming Places on Earth span the globe and offer travellers a range of memorable travel experiences. The 2022 Most Welcoming Regions on Earth include Gorenjska (Slovenia) followed by Taitung County (Taiwan) and Tasmania (Australia). Booking.com also revealed the top 3 Most Welcoming Cities on Earth which include Matera (Italy), Bled (Slovenia) and Taitung City (Taiwan). In terms of places to stay, Italy leads the pack with the most accommodations being recognized with a 2022 award (162,272), followed by Spain (93,130) and France (89,186). India (9062) ranked ahead of Colombia (8082), New Zealand (7355), Taiwan (7350), and Chile (7267).

2022's Most Welcoming Cities and Regions in India
Looking at the properties receiving the Traveller Review Awards 2022, Booking.com has also revealed the Most Welcoming Cities and Regions in India for travellers to experience the best in hospitality and friendliness whenever it's safe again to do so. Three out of five destinations from Kerala are a part of the Most Welcoming Cities in India. From Palolem (Goa) and Agonda (Goa) to Mararikulam (Kerala) and Thekkady (Kerala), these places reveal the love for coastal getaways by Indian travellers. While South India dominated the most welcoming regions list in India, Himachal Pradesh also made it to the top five Most Welcoming Regions in India in 2022.

Most Welcoming Cities in India
Palolem (Goa)
Agonda (Goa)
Mararikulam (Kerala)
Thekkady (Kerala)
Varkala (Kerala)

Most Welcoming Regions in India
Kerala
Goa
Puducherry
Rajasthan
Himachal Pradesh

Most Welcoming Accommodation Types in India
Another year in a row, hotels take the top spot in the Traveller Review Awards 2022 as the most-awarded property type in India, with 3644 partners being recognized for their efforts. Homestays take the second spot with 1141 properties being honoured, followed by resorts, guest houses and apartments.

Ritu Mehrotra, Regional Manager, South Asia at Booking.com said, "As travel dynamics continue to change, it's heartening to see the love travellers have expressed for the destinations as recognized by Booking.com's Traveller Review Awards 2022. The travel industry has continued to remain vigilant and flexible in light of the uncertainty and travel restrictions, and we acknowledge the passion and dedication of our partners in creating safe and welcoming travel experiences, enabling travellers in having beautiful experiences our world has to offer. As we navigate through the current travel environment, we are looking towards the future with renewed optimism and hope, and with these awards, we recognize the incredible hospitality our partners deliver to travellers each and every day and thank them for their amazing devotion as we continue to rebuild together."